Dutch Authorities Dismantle Botnet Linked to 17 Million Infected Devices

A botnet consisting of at least 17 million infected devices including computers, tablets, smartphones, and IoT devices was dismantled by Dutch authorities. The botnet used over 200 servers located in the Netherlands as backend infrastructure. The operation was identified as Asocks, a company offering residential proxies with monthly subscriptions between $5-15. The botnet was linked to the PROXYLIB campaign involving infected Android devices with proxyware from LumiApps and Asocks. Devices became part of the botnet when malicious actors gained access and installed malware for remote control, enabling the devices to be used for cybercriminal activities.